1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of racks and carriers for attachment to the exterior of automobiles and more particularly is directed to a combination carrier rack useful for carrying either bicycles or snow skis on an automotive vehicle equipped with the combination carrier.
2. State of the Prior Art
Carriers for mounting to the exterior of an automotive vehicle have long been in use for the transport of both bicycles and skis. Combination carriers for these two items are also known. One known type of bicycle rack has a tubular frame which is mounted over the bumper and on the rear of the trunk lid an automotive vehicle and attached to the vehicle by straps with hook elements at their ends. One pair of straps hooks under the bumper of the car, and a second pair of straps hooks to the forward edge of the trunk lid, within the gap normally found along the edge of the trunk lid. The length of the straps is adjustable to provide a snug and wobble free anchoring for the carrier on the automotive vehicle. The carrier frame primarily consists of two U-shaped frame elements. A first frame element lies against the surface of the automotive vehicle to which the frame is attached. A second frame element extends transversely to the first frame element and has two parallel support arms which extend rearwardly away from the vehicle. Bicycles to be transported are placed with the top tube of the bicycle frame on the support arms of the carrier, so that the bicycle rests on these arms. The bicycle is normally secured in place by additional retaining straps. The first frame element of the carrier frame lies between the bicycle and the vehicle to protect the vehicle surface against scraping by the bicycle.
It is known to provide such a bicycle carrier with attachments for carrying snow skis. In presently known combination carriers of this type, the ski attachments are mounted on cross bars which extend between parallel arms of the first U-shaped frame element of the carrier frame. The ski attachments extend in the direction of the bicycle supporting arms of the second frame element. As a result, the ski attachments tend to interfere with any bicycles supported on the carrier frame, and may potentially scratch or otherwise damage the bicycles. While combination bicycle/ski carriers offer the convenience and economy of dual-purpose year-around use of the carrier, the inconvenience and potential damage to bicycles by the ski attachments remains a shortcoming in such combination carriers.
Existing bicycle carriers are available with a bolt-on ski-carrier attachment which must be mounted on the bicycle carrier by the user when needed. The ski-carrier is mounted either with bolts which pass through holes in the bicycle carrier frame, or by means of clamps which are tightened around the frame. The ski-carrier attachment must be removed if the carrier is to be used for transporting bicyles, since the ski-carrier would interfere with the cycles. This process is inconvenient, and if the ski-carrier is carelessly or improperly mounted to the frame it may disengage during road travel, causing loss of the equipment and possible accident and injury.
What is needed is a combination bicycle/ski carrier with factory mounted ski-attachments, constructed to avoid damage to or inteference with bicycles on the carrier, thereby to eliminate the need for detaching the ski-carrier when a bicycle is to be transported.